Things To Consider When Choosing A Hearing Aid
These days, we’re constantly surrounded by sound. The sounds of life are something nobody should miss out on, especially if they don’t have to. As technology becomes more abundant, we’ve made communication more available than ever before with phone calls and now facetime and video conferencing. These new communications mediums are highly advanced, but nothing will compete with the quality of true human communication directly from the lips. These new mediums often make healing more difficult, now more than ever, it’s important to address your hearing issues.
Let’s dive into some tips to consider when choosing a hearing aid.
1. Visit your doctor
It’s important to rule out any other causes of hearing loss before purchasing your hearing loss device. Ear infections and even earwax can cause nonpermanent hearing loss and can be treated by your doctor with no need for a hearing aid.
2. Schedule an appointment with an audiologist
An audiologist will access your hearing and can make a recommendation on the type of hearing aid that would be best for you. Ask your doctor for a recommendation.
3. Test out different hearing aids with a trial period
Trial periods are beneficial for multiple reasons. The first reason being it gives you an opportunity to figure out which hearing aid will be most comfortable for you. Trial periods also allow you to determine if you have all of the features you want.
4. Consider future needs
Ask if your hearing aid has different power levels. As time goes on, your hearing loss may get worse. If that is the case, you may need to consider a hearing aid with adjustable power.
5. Make sure to budget for your hearing aid
Hearing aids can be expensive. It’s a good idea to begin budgeting months before you’re ready to commit to a new device.
6. Consider the warranty
As tip #5 states, hearing aids are expensive. You should consider the available warranties when making your hearing aid selection.
7. Are the extras worth it?
Consider the costs and benefits of additional luxury features. Bluetooth smartphone capability is a nice feature to have, but it can cost hundreds of dollars extra. Most hearing aids are more than capable of being used with cell phones without the added Bluetooth feature.
8. Want a lower price? Ask for one!
Consumerreports.org reported that 14% of individuals in their survey tried to negotiate a lower price while 50% of those individuals successfully brought the price down.
Once you’ve done the proper research and selected your hearing aid, the learning curve begins. It’s important to remember that a hearing aid won’t return your hearing to your previously normal standards. That being said, you will get used to your new normal over time! You’ll need to use your new hearing aid in order to get used to it. Try adjusting the power levels and practice removing it and cleaning it to become comfortable handling it.
Now that you know what to look for in a hearing aid, we’d like to encourage you to set up an at-home appointment with us from Ecoutez! We’ll connect you to the sounds of life in the comfort of your very own home! For more information on Ecoutez and hearing loss check out our other blogs!
These days, we’re constantly surrounded by sound. The sounds of life are something nobody should miss out on, especially if they don’t have to. As technology becomes more abundant, we’ve made communication more available than ever before with phone calls and now facetime and video conferencing. These new communications mediums are highly advanced, but nothing will compete with the quality of true human communication directly from the lips. These new mediums often make healing more difficult, now more than ever, it’s important to address your hearing issues.
Let’s dive into some tips to consider when choosing a hearing aid.
1. Visit your doctor
It’s important to rule out any other causes of hearing loss before purchasing your hearing loss device. Ear infections and even earwax can cause nonpermanent hearing loss and can be treated by your doctor with no need for a hearing aid.
2. Schedule an appointment with an audiologist
An audiologist will access your hearing and can make a recommendation on the type of hearing aid that would be best for you. Ask your doctor for a recommendation.
3. Test out different hearing aids with a trial period
Trial periods are beneficial for multiple reasons. The first reason being it gives you an opportunity to figure out which hearing aid will be most comfortable for you. Trial periods also allow you to determine if you have all of the features you want.
4. Consider future needs
Ask if your hearing aid has different power levels. As time goes on, your hearing loss may get worse. If that is the case, you may need to consider a hearing aid with adjustable power.
5. Make sure to budget for your hearing aid
Hearing aids can be expensive. It’s a good idea to begin budgeting months before you’re ready to commit to a new device.
6. Consider the warranty
As tip #5 states, hearing aids are expensive. You should consider the available warranties when making your hearing aid selection.
7. Are the extras worth it?
Consider the costs and benefits of additional luxury features. Bluetooth smartphone capability is a nice feature to have, but it can cost hundreds of dollars extra. Most hearing aids are more than capable of being used with cell phones without the added Bluetooth feature.
8. Want a lower price? Ask for one!
Consumerreports.org reported that 14% of individuals in their survey tried to negotiate a lower price while 50% of those individuals successfully brought the price down.
Once you’ve done the proper research and selected your hearing aid, the learning curve begins. It’s important to remember that a hearing aid won’t return your hearing to your previously normal standards. That being said, you will get used to your new normal over time! You’ll need to use your new hearing aid in order to get used to it. Try adjusting the power levels and practice removing it and cleaning it to become comfortable handling it.
Now that you know what to look for in a hearing aid, we’d like to encourage you to set up an at-home appointment with us from Ecoutez! We’ll connect you to the sounds of life in the comfort of your very own home! For more information on Ecoutez and hearing loss check out our other blogs!
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